The Greatest Gift
by Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010
Summary: A follow-up on my Fly Away Home series. A year has passed since the accident killed Lucy and left Alan an orphan to be taken in by his estranged father. It's Father's day and Alan doesn't know what to get his father.


_**Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there and those mothers that are not only mommy but daddy to your little ones! This one goes out to you! This story is a continuation oneshot of Fly Away Home, it's not absolutely critical that you read Fly Away Home before you read this story, but it is recommended. I understand those of you that may read this may feel that Alan may speak a little...formal or mature for a thirteen year old - but in my world and this verse the accident that killed his mother forced Alan to grow up quickly. So as a result, Alan who was raised knowing only the love of a mother and a classy one in my eyes would be pretty mature.**_

 _ **Hope ya'll enjoy and I'm posting this early simply because I have to work all day on Father's day so I doubt I'll find time to post this.**_

 _ **~Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010~**_

* * *

Alan hadn't ever celebrated Father's day with anyone but his mother…at least up until she died he hadn't. A year after her death, Alan was dragged from the island by Scott, John, Virgil and Gordon. The eldest son piloted the jet as they flew to New York. Alan stayed closed off to himself for the most part. He didn't know the first thing when it came to buying something to give his father for father's day. For starters, he'd never had a father in his life before and he'd never really celebrated the holiday before.

"Aren't you going to get something for dad Alan?" Gordon asked as he perused through the novelty mugs and t-shirts.

"I don't know what to get him." Alan replied, embarrassed because he sounded so different than his brother. Not only did he sound different, but he felt ashamed. He'd gone with his father to a business dinner in place of the other boys because Alan had home studies to help him cope with the different types of lessons than he was taught in New Zealand. Many people stared at him funny when he spoke, because he had a brogue unlike that of his father.

"Just do like we're all doing. He doesn't expect us to get him anything too grandiose. He knows we love and appreciate him." Gordon said as he picked up a t-shirt that had a tie decaled on. He smirked at the idea of his dad wearing it in place of his stuffy white dress shirts and strangling ties that he's admitted to hating with a passion. "What do you think? Do you think dad will wear this?"

Alan looked at the shirt and shrugged. Honestly he didn't have the foggiest idea whether his father would wear it or not. And he felt bad getting such a puny gift for his father…after all, if not for Jeff taking him in when he hadn't anywhere else to go he'd most likely live in a foster home somewhere back in New Zealand. The gifts that he and Gordon were looking at didn't say much when it came to Alan.

"Come on, pick something would ya? Dad won't care what it is. As long as it's something he can use, he'll be happy with it." Gordon commented when he saw how much trouble Alan was having when it came to selecting a father's day gift. "What's the hold up?"

"I've never had a father before…my ruau didn't count because he was my ruau." Alan said pitifully as he admitted his dilemma.

"Oh, geez. I'm sorry. I forgot you never had anyone but your mom in your life up till recently." Gordon said, forgetting that Alan's mother had been not only his mother but his father too for the first twelve years of his life. Then the accident happened, claiming Alan's mother's life and leaving Alan an orphan. "What would you like to get for dad?"

"I don't know…I want something that will show how much I appreciate him taking me in when I was orphaned, but I don't want it to be something cheap." Alan said as he looked at Gordon, trying to get him to understand just what the problem was.

"I get it now…you want something meaningful." Gordon put to words what Alan couldn't. At Alan's nod, Gordon looked at his own gift ideas, wondering if he should carry on or if he should do like Alan.

"Just because I want to get him something that'll mean more than a coffee cup or t-shirt doesn't mean you can't. You've had a father your whole life…he knows how much you love and appreciate him…but me, he probably thinks of me a street urchin that does nothing but cause problems." Alan remarked as he followed behind Gordon when he went to go make his purchase.

"He doesn't think that of you." Gordon said as he paid for his purchase, accepting the offer of a free gift wrap.

"How do you know?" Alan asked as he stood a distance away, watching a family a distance away walking away happily. The mother and father were smiling happily at each other as their little kids held onto their hands, giggling and smiling.

"Dad talks." Gordon said as he led Alan from the store. "Let's go find the others."

Alan followed Gordon, heading towards a frozen yogurt shop. Gordon got him and Alan both a frozen yogurt to split and sat at a table in the food court. Gordon texted his elder brothers, letting them know where he and Alan were. Within minutes, Scott, John and Virgil were in the vicinity. Everyone but Alan had at least one bag on their arm, with a gift or two for their father for father's day.

"Where's your bag Alan?" John asked as he took notice that Alan didn't have anything.

"I don't have one." Alan admitted, shamed by the mere question.

"Why?" Virgil inquired. "Don't you have the money from your allowance?"

"Yeah, but I can't find anything to give him." Alan replied with a half-hearted shrug.

"Do you want to go look at another store?" Scott asked as he too shrugged. He didn't know what to suggest Alan look for.

"He can't find anything, because he doesn't feel like anything material will show his appreciation for dad adopting him after his mom died." Gordon said, knowing that was Alan's problem.

The elder brothers all looked at Alan with sympathy. Now they understood. Nothing material that Alan got for their father would truly express his gratitude for all that their father had done.

"Have you thought of what you'd like to get him?" Virgil asked thoughtfully, trying to see if ALan had an idea.

"No. Because everything I think of seems wrong." Alan said as he stared at his empty frozen yogurt dish.

"Well, what did you get for your mom on mother's day?" John asked, knowing Alan's mom was still a sore subject, despite it having been a year since her death.

"I never got her anything…we never celebrated mother's day. Every day was mother's day to us." Alan said, revealing his dilemma. "The one time I did something special for my mum on mother's day, I nearly burned myself trying to make her waffles."

"It was the thought that counted though." Gordon said sheepishly.

"Yeah, then I suppose my ruau's hand across my bum was a thoughtful idea too? I got a spanking on mother's day because I wasn't supposed to be in the kitchen." Alan said with a sigh. "I'm not supposed to cook, my ruau always believed cooking, laundry, dishes and cleaning house were women's chores and he'd smack me if I tried to help. The only time I wasn't punished was if my nana or my mum asked me directly for help."

"Your ruau is a jerk." Gordon said. "Guys clean as much as women do and that kind of stuff is not women's work."

"I know that, but still. I don't know how to cook, so I can't make him something like that for father's day…and I don't think Mr and Mrs. Belegant would appreciate me destroying their kitchen. father's day meal or not."

"We're not getting anywhere discussing Alan's ruau. Let's think…what could Alan get for dad that will mean a lot and show his appreciation for all he's done for Alan?" John said as he began brainstorming.

"What if you got him a card?" Virgil suggested. "Just explain that you couldn't think of anything to get him, he'll understand."

Alan shook his head. A card seemed really impersonal.

"Well, Alan's gonna have to decide. We've got to get going. Dad needs the jet when we get back." Scott said after glancing at his watch.

"I'll figure it out." Alan said with a sigh.

"Yeah, we've got two weeks. If necessary we can come back to the mainland to find something." Virgil said as he gestured for them to go.

… … … … … …

At two in the morning, the night before father's day, Alan sat up in his bedroom. He was sat at his desk, a pad of paper and a pencil in front of him. He hadn't been able to figure out anything to give his father for father's day and felt like his last resort would be to write down what he couldn't voice aloud. He'd been sitting in front of his desk since he'd told his family he was going to bed.

Staring at the blank piece of paper in front of him, Alan struggled on how to start the letter. Picking up his pencil, Alan began to write.

' _Dear father,_

 _I just wanted to say thanks…'_ Alan didn't like how it started so he flipped his pencil and erased it all only to rewrite it, same wording and everything. He kept erasing and rewriting several times until he could barely hold his eyes open. He glanced at his clock and sighed as he knuckled at his eyes. He was tired, he'd been up several hours past his bedtime and he was feeling it. He couldn't go to sleep though; he had to finish the letter. If he couldn't get anything for his father, the letter had to at least be finished.

He yawned deeply and knuckled at his eyes again. Shaking his head a little, Alan found that it did indeed wake him up a little. Placing the pencil against the paper, Alan began again.

… … … … … …

Jeff finished his inventory audit a little late in the afternoon. He glanced at his watch only to realize that he hadn't seen his youngest son at all that day. Standing up, Jeff figured he'd go see if he could find his youngest and spend some time with him. The boy needed a father to figure out how to move on through life. He'd be fourteen the following year and was only just getting used to having a father in his life.

Walking down the hall, Jeff stopped outside Alan's room. Knocking lightly, Jeff opened the door and peered inside. He smiled softly when he saw Alan, slumped in his seat, arms folded on the desktop, head resting atop his arms – sound asleep. There were balls of paper surrounding his desk and Jeff found it endearing. Even in the summer months, Alan could be found doing his homework. Walking into Alan's room, Jeff turned down Alan's bedding before picking up his son and placing him in his bed. He removed Alan's shoes and pulled the covers up before turning to straighten Alan's 'homework'.

Standing over Alan's desk, Jeff saw an envelope. It was addressed to him. Picking it up and turning it over he found the envelope was sealed. Looking back over at Alan, Jeff nodded before he left. He wanted to see what his son wrote to him.

He pulled the door shut softly, looking at the letter in his hand before he left to go back to his office. He'd like to read that letter by himself.

… … … … … …

Settling in his chair by the window, Jeff gently separated the flap of the envelope from the envelope itself. Inside were a couple sheets of paper, folded professionally. He unfolded the letter and began to read it.

 _Dear Dad,_

 _As I'm sure you've guessed, I couldn't figure out anything to get you for father's day…I'm sorry by the way._

 _I thought long and hard about what I could get you for father's day and all I could come up with was a letter telling you how much you mean to me and how much I appreciate all you've done for me. I feel like it's such a lousy gift to give you, especially after all you've done. But this was the best I could come up with. I hope you'll forgive me for my letdown._

 _Besides that I wanted to tell you that you are by far the best father a boy could have. Growing up, I saw how guys treated my mum when we'd go for walks and I'd see the quiet accusations and I'd know that because of me my mum would never find happiness again. She would tell me stories of you and the brief time you two spent together. She told me how you two met, saving a few beached whales that had gone up on the beach in front of my family's inn. The way she described you was like she was describing a superhero._

 _She told me how after you and her helped the villagers get the whales back home, you and her went back home. You told her you had four boys and a wife, how you missed them every time you had to go away for work. And yet you fell in love with my mum during the two weeks you were at the inn. She told me she realized she was pregnant with me about two months after you left. She never told me, but I could see when she would tell me stories about you two that she loved you just as much as me…if not more. She told me the first time she felt me kick in her tummy that she wanted more than anything for you to be there and feel me kick too. She cried when she told me that she'd chosen my name because you'd mentioned wishing that if you and your wife could have another baby that you'd have liked to name Alan Shepard._

 _Mum told me when she went in labor with me, she was scared. She wanted you there to offer support, but she didn't want your wife to know there had been another woman. She had several letters written to you, addressed to you over all these years…but she told me she couldn't work up the courage to mail them. There are still back with my nana, she said she'd keep them until she felt I was ready to have them. I don't think the letters were very PG if my nana doesn't want me reading them._

 _When I was born, my mum said she cried because she thought I looked just like you. She said she was happy that I'd gotten your blue eyes and your nose. She told me she thought I was very handsome even as a babe and I can't help but feel she was right. I miss my mum, nobody will ever replace her and I wouldn't want anybody to. But if losing her to get you in my life was meant to be then I guess it was a fair trade. I finally get to experience what my brothers had growing up. The best of both worlds as my mum would say._

 _One day when I am older, my nana said she'd give me my mum's journal – it had stories about milestones I reached as I grew up. The time I kept her up at night because I was teething, my first step and words. My mum was very proud of me as I'm sure you can tell. I was very proud of my mum, for having me and raising me despite the trouble I caused her. I'm proud of her for doing what my ruau said she couldn't. Being a single mum wasn't easy for her and when I'd come home from class crying I know she wished there was more she could do about the bullies that teased me because I didn't have a dad like the other kids._

 _After the car accident and I woke up in the hospital…I didn't know what I'd do. My nana and ruau were sitting by my bed, nana was crying and ruau looked mad. The doctor came in to check me and said that besides whiplash and a concussion, I was okay to go home. My ruau stood up and yelled at the doctor that I had no home to return to. He called me a bastard and a demon that stole his little girl from him and grabbed my nana's hand – dragging her from the room. The doctor kept me there, sure that my ruau would come back when he'd calmed down. He didn't know my ruau though._

 _I asked the doctor where my mum was and he told me she'd gone to be with the angels. I wanted to die when he told me she died and it was then that I knew my ruau was right. It was because of me that my mum had died. She'd been picking me up from practice and if it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't have been run off the road by some people racing._

 _My ruau refused me entry to my home that was where I was born. My nana tried talking to him and my ruau said that if I didn't go, he'd destroy the inn. My mum loved the inn and had made my nana promise to care for it if anything ever happened to her. My nana wanted to keep her promise so talked my ruau into letting me stay until child protection services could find somewhere for me to go. I'd been living there for less than a week when my agent told my nana that they'd gotten in touch with you and that you'd agreed to take me in. I didn't want to leave my nana or my ruau, but then I found out he'd sold the inn. Thankfully though my Aunt Ana's father in law bought it and he seemed to like me okay. He told my nana and I when he was taking me to the airport that when I turned eighteen, if I still wanted the inn – he'd sell it to me._

 _I got into a plane that took me to London and I couldn't figure out why. When I got off the plane, I saw a man with a big nose holding a sign with my name on it. He told me his name was Parker and that he'd take me to my dad. I was scared, afraid that you'd be like my ruau and would see me as a burden…another mouth to feed. Parker had nothing but nice things to say about you, but he warned me that you ran a tight ship. He showed me a picture of you from off your website and I could see my mum was right about me having your eyes and nose. When we landed on the island, Parker grabbed my bag and led me into the house._

 _That day I ran away, it was partly because of Scott yelling, but I got scared. I looked in the room and saw you and the others and I panicked. It became real, my mum was dead and I was no longer home – but in the home of someone I didn't know. I ran and as you know I hid in the tree that Gordon later told me he and the others planted in honor of their mum that died a few months before I was born._

 _After you and the others let me adjust and get comfortable, I started to see what my mum was talking about. You smiled and laughed like it was nothing and I wanted that again. I wanted to smile and enjoy life without my mum and until I learned to let go, I wouldn't ever have that. I remember the night I came to your room because of having a nightmare about the night my mum died. You wrapped me up tight, and let me cry. You told me it was okay and that I'd be alright. You stayed with me, even after I fell asleep and you made me feel loved._

 _I want to thank you, if it wasn't for you taking me in I don't know where I'd be today. You've given me something I never had in life; a loving father and amazing brothers. You told me when I asked about the Thunderbirds that when I was old enough to do so, I could join the team and be right alongside you and my brothers. I never gave you an answer, but I'll tell you now. Yes. I would very much like to join the team when I am ready. I want to make you proud, as you've made my mum proud and me._

 _I love you dad and I wanted to thank you again. You've shown me what it's like to have a father and it's one of the best things I could have ever gotten in life. I will always miss my mum and I wish she could be here with us – but she's here with me in spirit._

 _With all my love and gratitude._

 _~Alan~_

A tear fell from his eye and dolloped on the paper he held in his hand as he finished reading Alan's letter. Folding the letter, Jeff stood up and wiped his eyes. He unlocked the door to his office and walked out of the room. Heading back to Alan's room, he knocked lightly before entering. Alan was just waking up and Jeff walked in and sat on the side of Alan's bed before embracing his little boy. Alan startled, but he eased back into the hug and returned said gesture.

"I want to thank you for the Father's day present. It means the world to me that you'd get me what you did." Jeff murmured as he pressed a kiss into Alan's hair. Tears fell from his eyes, leaving trails down his cheeks. Alan gave a soft cry as he hugged his father back tightly. "The greatest gift and honor is having you for a son, you needn't get me anything else."

"I love you dad." Alan whispered.

"And I love you, Alan." Jeff whispered back before he kissed Alan on the temple. "I am more than honored to be your father. Thank you for being my son and being so extraordinary in every way possible."


End file.
